The Puffer Forum

dear all, firstly, i'm sory if my english was not so good

- i just wondering, and planning too, what if this fahaka (or mbu) will be placed in an empty scape tank; i mean a tank without any decoration.
my purpose on doing so was to make it easy to clean up the tank. my tank was 1.8x0.6x0.6 and will be a home for 1 puffer only

will they be stressed out with just glass and water? for hiding place, my internal filter will be the only one for them

- in indonesia, a 10cm mbu puffer sold for about $150 US and a 20cm fahaka sold for $50 US
is it expensive or normal?

- how difficult is to keep this fish? let's compare to arowana and clown loaches
i.e : arowana is a strong and long-life-span fish; wether clown loaches is very vulnerable to itch/white spot and easily "game over"

thx for all your att.

I do not recommend any fish in a scape-less tank. They need to have a hiding spot, a place to retreat to, or they won't feel safe. The dimensions you use, are those in meters? (72" x 23"x23" then? or 165gal?) I think that the water volume is sufficient for a fahaka - but not an mbu. They require much higher water volume. This brings me back to the decor, fahakas love places to hide. If my fahaka feels like he does not have adequate hiding, he is very stressed and jumpy.... (Stressed: spotty coloring, fidgety, breathing hard, tries to hide, very aggressive. Jumpy: freaks out and tries to jump out of the tank, running into walls of the tank or into glass topper.) By giving one hiding spot, he probably won't be out much at all - he'll hide a lot. If he has a more complex environment that he can explore, with plenty of hiding spots he'll actually be out more (he'll feel safer.) My Fahaka is always out taking a 'stroll' now that I have lots of hiding spots, and open swim waters. He's out more now that he feels he has plenty of options to retreat

As for prices, I think their size influences their pricing greatly. As a baby, my fahaka's book price at my LFS was $23. I've seen pricing close to this on some sites, however I've seen much larger fahakas (8-10") for around $150. As fast as they grow, I'd not waste the money on a larger one, and just get a baby.

I think my Fahaka is easily cared for, but I've never owned an arowana or a clown loach. Fahaka's can live into their teens if properly cared for, and has had ich once - easily treated and gotten rid of. He came with IPs and with proper medication, was eradicated. I've had no issues since, and has been the most rewarding fish I've ever owned.

Here is my fahaka's tank:


He loves to sit in his cave:


See how happy he is?

I agree with all the above comments - especially that a bare tank is not for any puffer. They all need some visual complexity and a sense of security - that means complexity and thought-out decor. A bare glass box is completely unsuitable.

A 6 by 2 by 2 foot tank is fine for a Fahaka, much too small for a T. mbu. That fish can easily be longer than the short dimensions of that tank, meaning that the fish cannot turn around with physical damage. To me,the absolute minimum tank for a T. mbu would be 4 by 4 by 8 (or better 10) feet.

If you think the tank size and upkeep requirements are too much for easy care, you might seriously consider selecting a less demanding fish. Puffers are long-lived intelligent fish. These fish require the same levels of attention and care as does a pet dog.

@Ohyouknow, Pufferpunk and RTR

thx so much for the information. glad to be a newbie in this forum

now i knew that my tank was too small to take care even single mbu. maybe i'll do an upgrade to 1x1x2 in meter
and tank without hiding place is a fool idea >.<

now then, what if i'll put nothing in the surface of the tank? (i mean the substrate like silica or else like pufferpunk's tank) instead, i'll put some wood as hiding place
it will still be easier to clean up the tank

i'm sorry for my newbie question


i used to keep trigger fish (salt water) in an empty tank => same type as puffer right? (i think they're okay back then)

I don't understand why you think it is difficult to clean a tank with substrate in it. Just stir & remove 1/2 the water weekly. Can you get something like this (or easily make it), to clean the gravel, remove water & fill the tank?
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... _-Y-_-4177

Which puffer have you decided to go with?

Pufferpunk wrote:I don't understand why you think it is difficult to clean a tank with substrate in it. Just stir & remove 1/2 the water weekly. Can you get something like this (or easily make it), to clean the gravel, remove water & fill the tank?
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... _-Y-_-4177

Which puffer have you decided to go with?

wow i've never seen thing like that before. well, i'm sory i've never give a clear explanation, so here they are:
"when a puffer eat, they will crunch their food and spread them everywhere and those remaining thing will be hidden in gravel and make it more vulnerable to desease"

well, this is just my thought, newbie heheh

i've decided to upgrade my tank and buy a mbu. well i hope it will survive for more than 3 years >.<

kikukku wrote: i've decided to upgrade my tank and buy a mbu. well i hope it will survive for more than 3 years >.<

Before you do decide on that Mbu please read this.
viewtopic.php?f=56&t=150

Also: library/puffers-in-focus/mbuforyou/

Am I the only one that is worried with the comment "I hope it lives longer then 3 years". A mbu can easily live well into thier teens.

From what ive read, I dont think puffers are for you, you seem to want to take short cuts where ever possible. And puffers arent good for short cut taking.

sory i didn't mean to. kind of indonesian jokes >.<

well, when i said 3 years i mean "with that expensive price, i hope that my mbu able to live more than 3 years" => worth enough to spent 150$ for 3 years (compare to handphone etc)

of course i will take a very good care of that mbu, becoz i'm a big fan of fish especially puffer. right now, i have a tetraodon palembangensis; very uninteresting fish to keep...

once again, thank for all the attention. glad to be a member of this forum. and for the journal link posted here, i have read them. thank you

LOL, folks around here are very sensitive about their puffers.

ok, missed the joke lol. Thats the fun of tryin to get the humor of multiple different countries